January 2018: Your First Steps to Learning a Language

Lesson Transcript

Intro

Welcome to a special Inner Circle Audio Lesson! I'm Chigusa and I'll be your host. My co-host today is the founder of InnovativeLanguage.com... Peter Galante!

Peter:

Hi everyone! Peter here.

Chigusa:

In this Inner Circle, we’re talking about…

Peter:

Your First Steps to Learning a Language

Chigusa:

You’ll Learn...

Peter:

One, Why Your Reason for Learning is Crucial for Motivation

Chigusa:

Two, How to Use Anchor Points to Succeed

Peter:

Three, How I’m Learning French in 2018

Chigusa:

and Four - Your First Step to Learning a Language- Routines and Goals.

Peter:

All so you can master your target language and reach your goals!

Body

Chigusa:

Listeners, welcome to the Inner Circle.

Peter:

This is for those of you who took the 2018 Challenge.

Chigusa:

And this is the monthly, no-holds-barred newsletter giving you tried and tested learning methods...

Peter:

...to help you reach your language goals this year.

Chigusa:

Now, I don’t know how many of you were around, but last year, Peter took on the challenge of learning Chinese...

Peter:

Well... Chigusa, actually, re-visiting Chinese.

Chigusa:

Oh, you’ve studied it before. And before that?

Peter:

The year before, that I did German, Italian before that.

Chigusa:

By the way, listeners, if you’re a Premium or Premium PLUS member,

Peter:

You can access prior Inner Circle series inside the Lesson Library. Just choose “Bonus” from the Level drop-down menu.

Chigusa:

So, what’s your plan for 2018? What language are you learning this time?

Peter:

Chigusa, this year.. I am taking on.... French.

Chigusa:

Ooh la la la, why French? Is it because it’s a popular language?

Peter:

Actually, it’s a bit of a personal reason. And it’s the topic of today’s Inner circle.

Chigusa:

Your First Steps to Learning a Language

Peter:

Let’s jump into the first point.

Chigusa:

One - Why Your Reason for Learning is Crucial for Motivation

Peter:

Listeners, what language are you learning this year... and what’s your reason?

Chigusa:

I think most people learn out of self-interest. They’re doing it for themselves.

Peter:

I agree. Self interest is a strong motivator. Improving yourself is definitely on top of the list.

Chigusa:

What about you, Peter?

Peter:

Well, can i say this? I’m not really interested in going to France at this particular time...

Chigusa:

...yet.

Peter:

...yet! But, I decided to learn because my son is learning French right now. And I thought it’d be an interesting dynamic to learn with him.

Chigusa:

Hmm, what about your son? Why is he learning?

Peter:

He’s learning because his 2 best friends speak French.

Chigusa:

Ah, I see.

Peter:

And we have some close family friends that speak French... so it kind of made sense. Also, my son’s Jiu Jitsu coach is French too.

Chigusa:

Yeah, I think your reason is solid enough.

Peter:

Now, listeners, here’s why we ask about your reason for learning.

Chigusa:

Your reason is directly related to your motivation.

Peter:

The greater your motivation, the better your results, and the more likely you’ll succeed.

Chigusa:

So the reason plays a big part in mastering a language.

Peter:

Exactly. For example, if your reason is because you live in that country...

Chigusa:

...then your motivation is probably high.

Peter:

You’re in survival mode and you’re hungry to learn.

Chigusa:

That makes a lot of sense.

Peter:

Self improvement, learning for love, or for a relative are also strong reasons.

Chigusa:

Peter, I’d say, you have a good reason. Because your son’s learning.

Peter:

I think it’s a good reason. I’ll let you know in a year, Chigusa. But listeners before you worry about not having an urgent reason like ...

Chigusa:

“I live in that country”

Peter:

Don’t worry. There are ways to boost your motivation... regardless of your reason.

Chigusa:

So listeners, once you have a reason for learning...

Peter:

...Next, you need your anchor points.

Chigusa:

What are anchor points?

Peter:

Let’s jump into the second part.

Chigusa:

Part 2. How to Use Anchor Points to Succeed

Peter:

Listeners, picture this. Picture a small ship in the middle of a big lake. It’s windy. So the boat is actually drifting around. Now... here’s a question - what can you use to stop the boat from drifting?

Chigusa:

The anchor.

Peter:

Exactly. And just like an anchor in a boat, anchor points keep you from drifting away from your goal.

Chigusa:

An anchor point is what keeps you motivated

Peter:

...and committed to your language goal.

Chigusa:

It makes your life revolve around your language goals...

Peter:

...and not the other way around. So, an anchor point can be language classes.

Chigusa:

That’s a good example because classes and school dictate your schedule.

Peter:

You have to wake up earlier to get there on time...

Chigusa:

...you have to make time to do homework. You have to go to sleep earlier.

Peter:

An anchor point can be a family member, a significant other and you’re learning because of them. In my case, my son... he’s really into French because of his friends... and because he’s expecting me to learn with him...

Chigusa:

...and you can’t really back out.

Peter:

Nope. I am anchored in. Listeners, another example is... investing in a book or a learning program...

Chigusa:

Since you’ve invested your hard-earned money, you want to get as much value as possible...

Peter:

...you’re more motivated and committed...

Chigusa:

...and you use that resource to the fullest.

Peter:

The more anchor points you have, the better off you are. I actually have a few more.

Chigusa:

Really? What are they?

Peter:

So, one of my son’s best friends... we’re friends with the family and... we’re planning to visit them in Belgium this year. In the summer.

Chigusa:

Ah, travel.

Peter:

Travel is a great anchor point. Setting a goal, selecting a destination where they speak the language, that is an extremely powerful anchor point. Also, we have family friends that speak French. That gives me more exposure and opportunity to practice.

Chigusa:

So 3 anchor points in total. Now, how about your routine? How are you learning French this year?

Peter:

Good question. I have a NEW way of learning. Let’s get into the 3rd part.

Chigusa:

Part 3 - How Peter is Learning French in 2018.

Peter:

So, since January will be my first month, it’ll mostly be about input. That’s step 1.

Chigusa:

What do you mean by input exactly?

Peter:

Simply consuming the language. Taking it in. Input is everything that you hear, see or read.

Chigusa:

Ah I see. Then output would be writing or speaking.

Peter:

Exactly. So my goal is to do input and I’ll be doing that by taking 1 FrenchPod101 lesson a day. That’s my daily goal.

Chigusa:

What about output?

Peter:

I won’t be focusing on output as much... I want just get familiar with French. But, let’s make one goal. My goal is to speak 1 minute of French conversation and.... I also learn 50 words by January 31st.

Chigusa:

Okay, so then your daily routine is doing 1 FrenchPod101 lesson a day?

Peter:

Exactly. But, the medium I’m using to execute on this goal... is brand new.

Chigusa:

What’s this new way of learning that I don’t know about?

Peter:

Well, Chigusa, we just released it, so it’s okay if you don’t know, but...., you can now take our lessons with Alexa...on the Amazon Echo.

Well, I do come back to the site afterwards, to read the lesson notes and the grammar point. So, I do review, but, yes.

Chigusa:

I see. Yea, you prefer to learn by listening and speaking right away.

Peter:

And with Alexa, that’s all you do. There is one more POWERFUL advantage, at least for me, with learning on Alexa.

Chigusa:

What is it?

Peter:

Convenience. In fact, I’ve been hitting my goal every day simply because of how easy it is to learn. You can literally learn without touching anything. You just say “Alexa, open daily dose..”

What language would you like to learn?

“French”

Would you like to learn with lessons or words?

“Lessons”

Playing lesson of the day by FrenchPod101.com

Alexa, stop. You can start learning with 3 simple phrases.

Chigusa:

Is this more convenient than learning on your iPhone?

Peter:

Chigusa, you’re not going to say anything about that? That was pretty cool, no?

Chigusa:

It’s my first time to see Alexa speaking. It’s amazing.

Peter:

But that’s the point. It’s just so easy. Jumping back to your question about... a smartphone. In some ways, it is easier because the challenge of a smartphone is... You could open it with intention of learning but wind up on a completely different app, an email, or a bit distracted. With Alexa, it just starts so fast.

Chigusa:

Ah, yes.... And then your messenger... Every app is trying to steal your attention.

Peter:

And before you know it, 40 minutes are gone. But with Alexa, I can be lying in bed and learning. Or at the dinner table and learning. It’s that easy.

Chigusa:

Got it! Alright, so what can our listeners take away from this?

Peter:

Okay, I’ve set my goals, my routines, and started listening to lessons...

Chigusa:

Right.

Peter:

And that’s exactly what you should do, listeners. Let’s jump into the final part.

Chigusa:

Part 4 - Your First Step to Learning a Language. Routines and Goals.

Peter:

If you’re just starting to learn a language, here is step one...

Chigusa:

...your first month should be all about input. Start learning from day one.

Peter:

Meaning, just taking language in. It could be reading, listening...

Chigusa:

....learning words or watching lessons...

Peter:

Get familiar with the language and try not to overwhelm yourself.

Chigusa:

So, how can you start doing language input?

Peter:

Listeners, there are a ton of ways to start learning with our program.

Once you set your goal, you need to create a routine that you can stick to.

Peter:

Let’s say your goal is to learn 50 words in a month. Let’s create a routine.

Chigusa:

If you want to learn 50 words in a month, how many should you learn a day?

Peter:

Let’s do some simple math. 50 words divided by 30 days in a month is 1.6 words.

Chigusa:

So, you need to learn 1-2 new words a day. Listeners, we’re just dividing your goal to see how it fits inside a month.

Peter:

And learning 1 or 2 words a day is easy to do.

Chigusa; Now that you know how much you need to study per day, make a routine.

Peter:

So, answer these questions.

Chigusa:

When will you study?

How long will you study every day?

Where do you plan to study?

How will you study?

What is your study schedule?

Peter:

Let’s answer them. When will you study? I’ll study at 9PM every day, after the kids are in bed. How long will you study every day? I’ll study, sorry Chigusa, just 5 minutes. Where do you plan to study? At home, at the dinner table ,with JapanesePod101. How will you study? I’ll use the JapanesePod101 flashcards. What is your study schedule? Learn 1 or 2 words a day, every day at 9PM.

Peter:

And that’s it. Even though it doesn’t seem like a lot, sticking to that routine will give me 50 words by the end of the month.

Chigusa:

Now that you know how to set successful goals, how to create routines

Peter:

...and you’re on your way to reaching your goals

Chigusa:

So, Peter, what about you? What are your small, measurable goals for February again?

Peter:

1 minute of conversation, I’ll learn 50 french words, and do 1 lesson a day.

Chigusa:

Deadline?

Peter:

End of January. By January 31st, 2018.

Chigusa:

Listeners, what about you? What language are you learning in 2018?

Peter:

What are your reasons for learning?

Chigusa:

And what’s your small, measurable monthly goal? Just set one goal for the month.

Peter:

Email us at inner dot circle at innovative language dot com.

Chigusa:

And stay tuned for the next Inner Circle.

Outro

Chigusa:

Well, that’s going to do it for this special Inner Circle lesson for this year!

And listeners, let me know: What language are you learning in 2018 and your reasons for learning?

Send me an email at:

inner.circle@innovativelanguage.com

See you next month!

Peter Galante, FounderTeam JapanesePod101

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